Mabel Canning has moved to London in1921 and joined the Useful Women Agency. Her first job is supporting a widow at a wake but the deceased has been declared dead after going missing 7 years ago. Then a man dies at the front door during the wake…
A Body on the Doorstep is the first book in a murder mystery series set in the 1920s. The second book, A Body at the Seance is also available now. In the author’s note at the end, I discovered that the Useful Women Agency was real!
Guy Despard disappeared 7 years ago and his wife Rosalind is finally able to have him declared dead. During the wake Mabel is helping with the guests when she opens the door to a dead man. Rosalind is under suspicion as it is her house and she was originally suspected of disposing of her husband. Her brother Park was a police officer but thrown out of the force for defending his sister.
I loved Mabel’s character. She has moved to London from a small village and is keen to be independent. She is keen, able and flexible, able to turn herself to any task to pay her way. However, she never expects to be at the centre of a murder investigation!
Park and Mabel make an unlikely alliance (could there be a spark of romance for later in the series…?), along with Gladys the dog, to find out the truth and exonerate Rosalind. I liked the 1920s setting and the exploration of London in that era. Class and gender norms are challenged as men and women adapt to life after WW1.
A Body on the Doorstep is an enjoyable start to a series and I look forward to reading the next book about Mabel soon.
Fiercely independent Mabel Canning can’t wait to begin working for the Useful Women’s Agency. But when she discovers a body on her client’s doorstep, it’s time to add solving murders to her job description…
London, 1921: Mabel Canning is proud to be a modern woman working for the Useful Women’s Agency, carrying out tasks for gentlewomen from flower arranging to washing muddy dogs. But when she answers the door for wealthy widow Rosalind Despard, she almost chokes on her cucumber sandwich when she finds a soldier’s body on the doorstep.
As she offers tea to the policemen of Scotland Yard, Mabel can’t resist getting drawn into the investigation. Who was the mysterious dead man? And why was he holding a letter for Rosalind, written by her husband on the day he disappeared?
As Mabel hunts for clues, she joins forces with Rosalind’s handsome brother, former detective Park Winstone, and his adorable terrier, Gladys. But when Mabel suspects she is being followed, the detective duo know that time is running out before the killer strikes again.
As she investigates, Mabel discovers dusty old photographs that help her reveal the soldier’s true identity. But as she gets closer to uncovering the young man’s murderer, she knows she’s also one step closer to danger… Can she outsmart the killer and save Park and Rosalind before they also turn up dead as doornails?
A totally unputdownable and utterly charming Golden Age cozy mystery from USA Today bestselling author Marty Wingate. Perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, Richard Osman, Verity Bright and T.E. Kinsey.
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Second book in the series, A Body At the Seance (out on the same day): https://geni.us/B0CKC3MPYJsocial
Author Bio:
Marty Wingate is a USA Today best-selling author of both mysteries and historical fiction. Marty enjoys weaving humor into her books and creating characters—from quirky and loveable to sinister and duplicitous—that leap off the page. Before embarking on her series about the London Ladies Murder Club with Bookouture, Marty published three contemporary cozy mystery series (the Potting Shed, Birds of a Feather, and First Edition Library books). She has also published two standalone books of historical fiction and found stories of the past to be compelling. She’s delighted to combine her penchant for both mysteries and histories to bring her readers more satisfying stories. Marty currently resides near Seattle, Washington.
Lady Bea is celebrating Perry Juke’s upcoming nuptuals at an exclusive hotel and spa. The only other guests are attending a model’s birthday party and one of them is found dead the next morning…
A Cocktail To Die For is a cosy crime mystery novel in the Right Royal Investigation series set in a fictional England. Lady Bea is the niece of the king but often finds herself in the midst of a murder case!
Bea and Perry’s relaxing celebration is scuppered by the discovery of a body. One of the other party guests is found dead in their room and poison is suspected. Bea’s friend Em is in attendance so launches into her professional role as a police inspector. However, the local police are not keen on having the royal protection officer and her charge involved in the case.
Due to the cosy genre there is little detail about the murder or body. The main focus is upon the investigation and how Bea and her friends respond to developing events. There are a limited number of suspects due to the small guest lost for both parties so Bea uses her position and personality to gently interrogate the other characters.
I did enjoy this book and it was a quick read. It was interesting to see another police officer take the lead and I liked getting to know Em better than we had previously. However, I felt that there was missing something without regular characters Fitzwilliam, Simon and Daisy the dog.
A Cocktail To Die For is an enjoyable mystery and I love this fictional royal world.
A Cocktail To Die For
Cocktails, chaos, and an unexpected twist. Can Perry and his hens unveil the truth before time runs out?
Death at Prestigious Hotel and Spa, Chasingham House
We are hearing reports that a young woman has been found dead at Chasingham House, the exclusive venue in the Cotswolds. She has not been named, and the cause of death is unknown at this time. This will no doubt cast a cloud over the bachelor weekend being hosted there by Lady Beatrice (36), the Countess of Rossex, for her business partner Perry Juke (34) ahead of his wedding to bestselling author and celebrity chef Simon Lattimore (40). Also staying at Chasingham House are top models Camile Redmaine (35) and Mel Parks (35), who are celebrating newly-single Cammy’s birthday with a group of friends.
When one of the birthday girls is found dead in her room, it’s clear Bea plans for her, Perry, and their friends to chill around the pool, have a few treatments, and generally relax, seem to have gone down the drain. When the local police are quick to dismiss the death as an accident, Bea is determined to help investigate anyway, along with the rest of Perry’s party.
Can Perry and his hens catch the killer before the weekend is over and the trail goes cold?
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Author Bio –
Hello. I’m Helen Golden. I write British contemporary cozy whodunnits with a hint of humour. I live in small village in Lincolnshire in the UK with my husband, my step-daughter, her two cats, our two dogs, sometimes my step-son, and our tortoise.
Previously, I used to work in senior management, but after my recent job came to a natural end I had the opportunity to follow my dreams and start writing. It’s very early in my life as an author, but so far I’m loving it.
It’s crazy busy at our house, so when I’m writing I retreat to our caravan (an impulsive lockdown purchase) which is mostly parked on our drive. When I really need total peace and quiet, I take it to a lovely site about 15 minutes away and hide there until my family runs out of food or clean clothes
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A young woman is missing and, judging by the amount of blood, probably murdered. Meanwhile Kane and Alton have found a gravesite with a series of bodies buried in triangles. The police fear that another two women may disappear soon…
A Song For The Dead is the 21st book in the Kane and Alton series of detective thrillers. It works as a stand alone book but there are personal plotlines which follow on from previous books, in particular Jenna and Dave’s family life.
Jenna and Dave find a link between a set of bodies and a current missing person case. They believe that there is a killer who kills 3 women every Halloween. The seasonal setting adds the backdrop to the plot and adds a spooky atmosphere and tension.
Most of the book is written from the third person perspective to show the police investigation and the victims being unaware of the danger they face. Some chapters are written to show the killer’s viewpoint and this is chilling as we witness their determination to harm others.
The murders are graphically and vividly described from the victim and murderer’s perspectives. I found this very unpleasant and this is mirrored in Jenna’s difficulty with dealing with this case. The phone recordings of the murders was especially harrowing.
Jenna’s maternal instincts have really kicked in now and this adds a different dimension to the book as she now has to keep her child safe and stay safe for him. I did feel that these elements slowed down the plot a little compared to earlier books.
A Song For The Dead is an intense crime thriller.
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Book: A SONG FOR THE DEAD
Author: D.K. HOOD
Pub Day: JANUARY 8TH 2024
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About the book:
As she steps out of the shower and wraps herself in a warm towel, her breath catches. There’s writing scrawled in the condensation on the mirror. I’m going to kill you. She doesn’t even have time to scream…
It’s Halloween when a young woman is reported missing from the small town of Black Rock Falls and Sheriff Jenna Alton and her partner, Deputy David Kane, race to her remote home. But all they find are signs of a struggle and blood on the bathroom floor. Freya Richardson has vanished.
With no leads on Freya’s whereabouts, Jenna hits a wall in the investigation. Then the bodies of three women are discovered buried in a local forest. Each one has been wrapped in a blanket. As Jenna takes in their pretty faces and long blonde hair, her blood runs cold. Freya isn’t here: but each body looks shockingly like her…
Jenna soon links the victims with an unsolved case where the killer attacked blonde-haired women in their homes and buried the bodies. She’s convinced it’s the same murderer, and seeing that he always takes three victims, she realizes that two more women could be in serious danger…
Working around the clock, Jenna’s heart sinks when a beloved friend makes a terrifying call telling her there’s an intruder in her house. Begging her to hide, Jenna and Dave race to the woman’s house. But can they get there in time to stop another innocent life from being taken?
Truly gripping and absolutely unputdownable, fans of Lisa Regan, Melinda Leigh and Kendra Elliot will love this novel from USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author D.K. Hood.
**Each Kane and Alton book can be read as part of the series or as a standalone**
Author Bio
D.K. Hood is THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, USA TODAY and AMAZON bestselling author of the Detective Kane and Alton Series. Her spine chilling, fast-paced serial killer thrillers revolve around Sheriff Jenna Alton and her ex-special forces Deputy, Dave Kane. As the main characters fight crime, their secret pasts are never far away. Set in and around the fictional backwoods town of Black Rock Falls, Montana, known locally as Serial Killer Central, D.K.’s imagery takes the reader into the scenes with her. Given the title “Queen of Suspense” by her reviewers, D.K.’s writing style offers her readers a movie style, sizzling fast thrill ride.
NEW SERIES: SPECIAL AGENT BETH KATZ
Beth is a serial killer working for the FBI. By day she is a dedicated agent and by night she becomes the notorious Tarot Killer and hunts down vicious serial killers, who have slipped through the net of justice. With her handsome mountain man partner,
Agent Dax Styles, they fight crime by walking a very thin line of the law.
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TRIGGER WARNING: grooming
Tate Kinsella is accused of murder. A woman fell from the roof of her employer’s building. Initially she thinks it is the mysterious Helen who she met at the Christmas party but the body is identified as that of Maddy. Her boss’s wife… Her boss who she was having an affair with…
The Woman on the Ledge is a psychological thriller about a mysterious death in London. Wow, I loved this book!
Tate meets Helen on the ledge of the building where she works. She manages to talk her down and the next day Helen asks to be readmitted into the building. Shortly after this a body is discovered on the ground and Tate becomes the main suspect when murder is proved. The book shows us Tate in the present day as she explains to her lawyer the truth, while also showing us episodes from the past in the lead up to Maddy’s death.
Tate is a very unreliable narrator. She frequently lies to us, to the police, to her lawyer. This allows for plenty of plot twists as we discover new truths that make us reassess our knowledge of events. Whenever I thought I had the whole picture, BAM! another lie would be revealed and my whole understanding of the plot and characters would change. The misdirection is so skillfully done and the plot is gripping.
The Woman on the Ledge was a fabulous book and I was absolutely gripped by the concept and how it was accomplished on the pages.
Tate Kinsella is a single, out of work actor working as a temp at a London bank when the police arrest her for murder.
A woman falls to her death from the bank’s twenty-fifth floor roof terrace. Tate confesses to having been alone with the victim moments before she died, but insists she had nothing to do with the tragedy, telling her lawyer she’s been framed. Her lawyer, Sarah Kellerman, agrees to help Tate prove her innocence. But it soon becomes clear Tate knows a lot more than she is letting on. Whose secrets is she keeping? And why? As the mystery unfolds it becomes apparent that the key to the truth lies in the past, and nothing about the woman on the ledge is as straightforward as it first appears…
About the Author
Ruth Mancini was born in south-west London, and has worked as a lawyer for the past twenty-five years in and out of courts and police stations, representing those accused of crimes. She has worked as police station’s ‘duty solicitor’ – aka the person you ask for when you are first arrested.
Ruth still practises as a lawyer for a large criminal law firm with offices in London, conducting advocacy in the courts and defending people arrested at the police station. She also reviews trial files across the firm and juggles her legal work with writing crime and psychological fiction. She can be found on Twitter @RuthMancini1 and Facebook at www.facebook.com/ruth.mancini.author
TRIGGER WARNING: fertility issues, adoption
Alana was deeply affected by the disappearance and subsequent death of a young girl. Now she advocates that everyone should have a binder packed full of information including fingerprints and passwords, to help police in the event of a person’s disappearance. She never expects that her best friend will rely on one to save her…
If I Go Missing is a psychological thriller set in America.
Alana lost touch with her former best friend Chloe and her husband Ray who Alana loved first. Then the couple move in next door and Alana is forced to confront the past. Chloe vanishes, leaving behind a binder of information that hints at Alana’s guilt for several crimes. Meanwhile a child at Alana’s school also disappears and her interest in the case sparks police concern.
The book is written from Alana’s first person perspective as she deals with events in the present day and reflects on the past as well. She has been keeping secrets from her husband and is pretending to have fertility issues to avoid telling him the truth. Meanwhile the arrival of Chloe and Ray back into her life causes emotional pain and confusion. This is then compounded by the disappearance of her pupil and friend in two apparently separate incidents. Her heart breaks as she reads Chloe’s diary and reconsiders her own memories of the past.
I didn’t find much of the book particularly credible but this didn’t affect my enjoyment as I was swept along on the rollercoaster of plot twists. Alana’s lies keep growing and spiral out of control. I liked the police detective and could empathise with his frustration and suspicion about Alana’s involvement in the two missing person cases as well as an accident in the past.
If I Go Missing is full of mystery and suspense but also emotion.
Media Pack
Author: Leslie Wolfe
Book: If I Go Missing
Publication Day: Jan 2nd 2024
Description:
If you’re reading this, I’ve gone missing.
I close the binder I’ve been writing in, and walk into the living room. As I stare out of the window at your house next door, I think about all the things I stand to lose if someone comes for me. My handsome, loving husband, who has no idea what I’ve done. My family, who have supported me no matter what. This beautiful home near the ocean, where I thought I would be safe.
Everyone says that I’m paranoid, but I just think I’m prepared. My secrets have placed me in terrible danger.
So if the worst happens, this binder contains everything you’ll need to find me, hidden in a place only you could guess. You’ve always known me best of everyone, ever since we were girls. You’ll be able to put the pieces together and uncover the truth.
Only you can find me. But you’ll need to do it fast.
Because if you don’t, all your lies will come to light too…
From the no.1 Kindle and Amazon charts bestselling author of The Surgeon, comes an outrageously twisty and compelling psychological thriller that you simply won’t be able to put down! Perfect for fans of Shari Lapena, Gillian Flynn and Freida McFadden.
Author Bio:
Meet Leslie Wolfe, bestselling author and mastermind behind gripping thrillers that have won the hearts of over a million readers worldwide. She brings a fresh and invigorating touch to the thriller genre, crafting compelling narratives around unforgettable, powerhouse women. Her books are not only an adrenaline-packed ride, but they’re also sprinkled with psychological insights, offering readers an immersive, authentic experience that goes beyond conventional suspense.
You might know her from the Detective Kay Sharp series or have been hooked by Tess Winnett’s relentless pursuit of justice. Maybe you’ve followed the dynamic duo Baxter & Holt through the gritty streets of Las Vegas or plunged into political intrigue with Alex Hoffmann.
Recently, Leslie published The Girl You Killed, a psychological thriller that’s pure, unputdownable suspense. This standalone novel will have fans of The Undoing, The Silent Patient, and Little Fires Everywhere on the edge of their seats.
Whether you’re into the mind games of Criminal Minds, love crime thrillers like James Patterson’s, or enjoy the heart-pounding tension in Kendra Elliot and Robert Dugoni’s mysteries, Leslie’s got a thriller series for you. Fans of action-packed writers like Tom Clancy or Lee Child will find plenty to love in her Alex Hoffmann series.
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